SQL Basics Series – What You Need to Know To Get Started

Written by Michael Medved of Synergy

Anyone’s first step when starting to work with their VISUAL ERP’s SQLServer database should be to get the right tools.

I’ve used several different query tools for databases in the past and many will work. You need to find a tool that shows you the database schema and one that helps you by completing your SQL queries. More about that later.

For anyone who will spend any serious time digging into their VISUAL database they should SKIP VISUAL’s built in query tool. Luckily Microsoft has started to provide stand-alone software installations of their SQL Management Studio tool. Similar tools exist for Oracle database users.

Someone has already paved the way with instructions to get you your software.  http://www.jasonstrate.com/2013/05/get-just-the-tools-ssms-download/

Or you can find these tools already installed on your database server. Remember you don’t need to install an entire database engine to get this software.

Now for the beginners, let me start by telling you that to talk to your database you’ll only need to know 4 verbs.

• SELECT
• INSERT
• UPDATE
• DELETE

*DISCLAMER

Let me say that new users should stick to SELECT until you know exactly what you’re doing. The other actions will create and destroy data very quickly.

There is plenty of reading if you want to know more about these “action words”; google “database CRUD” or give this a look; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Create,_read,_update_and_delete .

The only thing left is the Nouns in our database. These are the Tables and Columns that store your data. And the easiest way to imagine a database table is think of a spreadsheet. Columns and Rows are just like what you see in a spreadsheet.  More to come…